This is bound to ruffle some feathers with fans, but I believe it's time for Daniel Bryan to retire from in-ring wrestling. It has been no secret the current Intercontinental Champ has been riddled with injuries. He underwent a major neck surgery in May of 2014 for a nerve issue and has never been the same. It would not only benefit his career and his livelihood, but the WWE as well, if he hangs up his hat.

Leaving on a high note: Daniel Bryan is at the peak of his illustrious career. He has held the World Heavyweight title 3 times, was a former US Champ, and also won a Tag Team title as a part of Team Hell No with Kane. He has headlined several major PPV events and won a Slammy Award for Superstar of the Year (2013). He has undoubtedly proven himself to be a future Hall of Famer. If he continues to wrestle, and especially hurt, he could tarnish the legacy he's built for himself and risk the chance of making his exit on a sour note.

Injuries: Regardless of the WWE being staged, there is a high risk of injury, as there is in any professional sport. Bryan has had a storied past with significant injuries, including a serious neck issue in 2014 that needed surgery and sidelined him over 7 months. He experienced major setbacks with the injury and was even told by some doctors that he shouldn't wrestle again. Though he returned to the ring and ended up winning the Intercontinental title at WrestleMania 30, the injuries continue to be an issue. Most recently he was pulled off the WWE's European Tour (mere weeks after Wrestlemania) after reportedly suffering a head injury. Not only can this seriously affect Bryan's longterm health, but also the WWE's storylines.

WWE suffering: It's obvious that Bryan's wellbeing is a big issue, but not having him healthy enough to compete and defend his title also negatively affects WWE's programming. They were trying to bring prestige to the Intercontinental Title, featuring it at WrestleMania with a ladder match and handing it to one of the most over superstars in the company, and can't give it the traction it needs or deserves with Bryan injured. He was recently pulled off of WWE programming, as I mentioned before, and there is no real timeline as to when he'll be back in the ring. He is almost surely going to lose the title soon, potentially to Wade Barrett at Extreme Rules, so they can start working the title more. There is a big question mark on if he will be able to compete for a major title in the future. Would WWE want to risk it again?

Family: It's has been widely broadcast on Total Divas that Bryan's wife (and current WWE superstar) Brie is looking to get pregnant and could potentially retire to start a family. If that's the case, it may not be a bad idea for Bryan to step back from the spotlight so he can be a good father and husband. With his popularity among the WWE universe, there is no doubt that Vince McMahon and the rest of the company's brass would try and find a role for him outside of the ring. Is it worth potentially injuring himself beyond repair when he wants to have kids in the future?

Although I don't want to see Daniel Bryan retire, I think it's in the best interest of himself, his family, and the WWE if he moves on from in-ring competition. If he continues to wrestle despite his growing health concerns, I think he could not only seriously injury himself but also his reputation.